On The Field

News

All Blacks

Revenge on menu for Wallabies

The Wallabies will be out for revenge when they take on the All Blacks in the opening Bledisloe Cup fixture next weekend in Sydney.

It will be the first time the two sides meet since the Rugby World Cup semi-final late last year, when the Wallabies lost to their fierce rivals from across the Tasman.

Speaking at the launch of the inaugural Investec Rugby Championship, Wallaby utility back Adam Ashley-Cooper admitted the defeat still hurts.

"Individually it does sting, it's something the guys will never forget," said Ashley-Cooper.

"But being in camp for a couple of weeks now with the Wallaby team you can see the response, the way the blokes have gotten together and it [the loss] was quickly put behind them. We've got a new focus and that for us is the Bledisloe Cup."

The Wallabies haven't held the Bledisloe Cup for nearly a decade, which gives them added incentive going into this year's Rugby Championship.

"I think Sharpey [Nathan Sharpe] is the only bloke in the current squad that's held the Bledisloe Cup," said Ashley-Cooper.

"So 99 percent of this team really want that opportunity.

"Sharing experiences with guys that have held the Cup, there's no bigger achievement or triumph, outside of the World Cup, than the Bledisloe Cup.

"It's a really good opportunity for us as a team."

The Rugby Championship starts with the first Bledisloe Cup clash in Sydney on August 18.